Spurs' new centre-back Kota Takai idolises Virgil van Dijk and has been compared to Dean Huijsen, as Asian football expert John Duerden explains.
Kota Takai’s rise to prominence may have been long-expected, but the last few months have been a whirlwind for the 20-year-old.
In September 2024, the classy defender made his international debut for Japan, in December he was named J1 League Young Player of the Season and in July, he signed for Tottenham Hotspur.
European, especially Serie A, interest has been rumoured for a year or so, but the London club paid out a reported £5million to Kawasaki Frontale.
It is a J1 League record for a Japanese player but looks like a bargain.
Japan's rising defensive star
Born in Yokohama just two years after that city hosted the 2002 FIFA World Cup final, Takai joined the academy at nearby Kawasaki before his 10th birthday.
“He has great physical ability and technique and his ability to play well under pressure has helped him grow,” said Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu.
“It’s is not common to go directly to the Premier League and it’s great to see a Japanese player being recognised."
Takai’s idol is Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk and Moriyasu sees the Liverpool captain as the blueprint.
“I hope he can become Japan’s Van Dijk... play well at Tottenham and help them compete for the Premier League and the [UEFA] Champions League,” said Moriyasu.
Since breaking into the first team in 2023 and then becoming a regular, Takai has missed just one league game this season.
'Takai is special'
The sight of the 6ft 3in star using his pace to chase down an attacker and get in a last-ditch tackle has become a familiar one, as has his habit of getting on the end of set pieces.
Well-timed interceptions are another speciality, often followed by sweeping passes, from either foot, to start attacks, though he is comfortable in bringing the ball out of defence.
Opta Analyst has compared his style to Dean Huijsen, whose eye-catching performances for AFC Bournemouth last season persuaded Real Madrid to spend a reported £50m in May.
“It is unusual for a defender so young to be selected by Japan but he is special,” said Tom Byer, a Japan-based youth development specialist who has worked with the Japan FA.
“I think he’ll contribute significantly to Tottenham. He’s very good in the air and dangerous from set-pieces. At the back, he breaks up a lot of plays as he’s quite aggressive.
“What stands out is his great technical ability, especially as he is such a big guy.”
Tactically also, he is aware.
After one of his final games for Kawasaki, a 2-1 defeat against Vissel Kobe, Takai commented that he felt the gap between the defensive and attacking midfielders was too big, making it harder to start attacks.
From Kawasaki to the world stage
He won’t be the only Kawasaki alumni in England’s top tier.
Brighton & Hove Albion winger Kaoru Mitoma and Ao Tanaka of Leeds United, also arrived in Europe from the Kanagawa club.
Other old boys include established Japanese internationals Takefusa Kubo at Real Sociedad and Borussia Monchengladbach’s Ko Itakura.
Located just south of Tokyo, Frontale have one of the largest player pools in the world on their doorstep and are an attractive destination given their history of developing talent, top-level coaching, giving opportunities and success on the pitch with four championships in the past eight years.
With Wataru Endo of Liverpool, Crystal Palace’s Daichi Kamada, there are now five of Japan’s best in the Premier League.
Once Takai makes his Premier League debut, the entire total of Japanese players to play in the competition will rise to 16, after Junichi Inamoto was the first, joining Arsenal in 2000.
That figure could also rise to 17 if midfielder Ao Tanaka features for newly-promoted Leeds United this season.
Endo, who last season followed Shinji Kagawa, Takumi Minamino and Shinji Okazaki in lifting the trophy, is also captain of the national team, the first to qualify for the 2026 World Cup in March.
He announced that it is time to focus on winning the tournament.
The future of Japanese football
Given the country’s rise, it is no longer unthinkable, a reason why young Japanese players are in such demand.
More may follow Takai west. Wing-back Ryunosuke Sato (Fagiano Okayama) is only 18 and in June, became the youngest player ever to represent Japan, beating Kagawa’s record.
The J1 League Best Young Player of 2022 Mao Hosoya (Kashiwa Reysol) has also broken into the national team and the intelligent forward, 23, has admirers in Europe as has defender Junnosuke Suzuki (Shonan Bellmare).
All will be watching how their international team-mate Takai settles in London.
It may take time to break into a team with an abundance of talented centre-backs including Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso, Radu Dragusin, Ben Davies and another new signing in Luka Vuskovic.
Just as teenage South Korean winger Yang Min-hyeok was loaned out to Queens Park Rangers by Spurs upon his arrival in January, Takai may get regular minutes elsewhere.
Time is on his side, however, but even if he is thrown straight in, he has already shown that he can handle most of what is thrown at his way.